Pubdate: Mon, 07 Nov 2011
Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB)
Copyright: 2011 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/letters.html
Website: http://www.calgaryherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66
Author: Robert Sharpe
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v11/n644/a09.html

DECRIMINALIZE

Not only should medical marijuana be made available to patients in 
need, but adult recreational use should be regulated. Drug policies 
modelled after alcohol prohibition have given rise to a youthoriented 
black market. Illegal drug dealers don't ID for age, but they do 
recruit minors immune to adult sentences. So much for protecting the 
children. Throwing more money at the problem is no solution. Attempts 
to limit the supply of illegal drugs while demand remains constant 
only increase the profitability of drug trafficking. For addictive 
drugs like heroin, a spike in street prices leads desperate addicts 
to increase criminal activity to feed desperate habits. The drug war 
doesn't fight crime, it fuels crime.

Taxing and regulating marijuana is a cost-effective alternative to a 
neverending drug war. As long as marijuana distribution is controlled 
by organized crime, consumers will come into contact with hard drugs 
like methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin. This "gateway" is a direct 
result of marijuana prohibition.

Robert Sharpe, Washington, D.C. Robert Sharpe is a policy analyst 
with Common Sense for Drug Policy.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom